City of Houston heavy trash

Most South Belt residents (south of Fuqua) live in Zone 9 and now have their pickup dates on the second Thursday of the month.

Residents living north of Fuqua and west of the Gulf Freeway are in Zone 10 and now have their dates on the second Friday of the month, and residents living north of Beltway 8 and east of the Gulf Freeway are in Zone 7 and now have their dates on the second Tuesday of the month.

Tree waste and junk waste collection still take place in alternating months.

Although junk waste is not accepted during tree waste months, tree waste is accepted during junk waste months. However, to ensure that tree waste is recycled, residents should hold tree waste materials until the next tree waste designated month or bring it to a neighborhood depository.

The heavy trash rules, according to the City of Houston website are as follows:
• Tree/junk waste should be placed adjacent to the front curb in a location easily accessible to the collection vehicle between the hours of 6 p.m. the Friday before, and 7 a.m. on the scheduled collection day.
• Tree/junk waste material should not be stacked under low overhead electrical wires or other cabling, signs, or mailboxes; next to fences or posts; or on top of water meters, gas meters, fire hydrants, or other exposed utility components.
• Materials should not be placed in the street, on the sidewalk or other right-of-way or in any manner which would interfere with pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
• Tree/junk waste collection is limited to residential units and vacant residential lots only if the waste generated is in connection with the maintenance of the property.
• No more than 8 cubic yards of junk waste or tree waste may be placed for collection.
• A maximum of 4 cubic yards of building material – not to include roofing shingles, brick, plaster or concrete – generated by the resident in connection with the maintenance of the residential property may be collected by Solid Waste Management Department crews.
• Appliances containing refrigerant must have a tag attached to them certifying that a qualified technician has removed the refrigerant.
• The Solid Waste Management Department is not allowed to collect any material that was generated by contractors who were retained by a resident to perform work on his or her residential property. It is the responsibility of the contractor to remove all debris that may arise from the contractor’s activities. These contractor-related activities include, but are not limited to: trimming and removal of trees, remodeling, new construction and roofing.
• If authorized items placed for collection are mixed with unauthorized items, department personnel shall not be obligated to sort the materials and may refuse the entire load.
• Solid Waste Management Department collection services are not available to multi-residential structures of more than eight units.

Residents who put their heavy trash in the front of their yard before the allowed time are subject to citation. Fines can range from $50 to $2,000 for first-time violators and from $250 to $2,000 for repeat offenders. Each day a violation continues may be punishable as a separate offense.

Whom Do I Call; City, County or . . . ?

Because of the intertwined city and county areas of South Belt, there is confusion on whom to call for water service, trash pickup, etc.

Texas Department of Human Resources
The building at 10060 Fuqua houses the state Department of Human Services and the Commission for the Blind. The DHS uses more than 80 percent of the 22,000-square-foot building for its services, which include food stamps, Medicaid and AFDC. Both agencies needed larger facilities.

Water & Sewer, Trash Collection
Water - City of Houston serves incorporated areas.
Unincorporated areas are served by the utility districts of Clear Brook City, Sagemeadow (includes Kirkwood South), and Kirkmont municipal.

Not in the city of Houston
Unincorporated subdivisions of the South Belt are those not annexed by the City of Houston.